Carers Lewisham

Volunteer Counsellor / Student

Placement Description

1.Duties

Each VolunteerCounsellor/Student is required to provide counselling for a minimum of 3clients of Carers Lewisham (CL). The Volunteer Counsellor / Student is requiredto provide their services for at least 12 months, and to attend 1 Group Supervision sessions and 1 one hour Individual Supervision session each month.

2.Accountability

2.1All Volunteer Counsellors / Students are accountable to the Adult Services Manager. Professionally qualified and experienced Counselling Supervisors provide one-to-one and group support and supervision for Counsellors.

2.2Practice and supervision issues affecting the Volunteer Counsellor’s / Student’s therapeutic work with clients should be discussed with their Counselling Supervisor. All other issues affecting the Volunteer Counsellor’s / Student’s ability to carry out their duties, as in [1], should be discussed with the AdultServices Manager.

2.3 CL is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy(BACP). Volunteer Counsellors / Students are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework and Practice for Counsellors.

2.4 CL Volunteer Counsellors / Students are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with CLs Counselling Services’ Policies and Procedures, together with CL’s Confidentiality, Equal Opportunities, Safeguarding, Health & Safety, Complaints Procedures and Volunteers Policies.

3. Supervision

3.1Volunteer Counsellors / Students must ensure the appropriate level of Supervision ismaintained, in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework and Practice for Counsellors.

3.2CLcurrently offers up to 30 weeks of free counselling to our clients. The service is under review to provide the most efficient and useful short term therapeutic intervention service for carers.

4. Personal Counselling

All Volunteer Counsellors / Students must have experience as a client, in the form of their ownpersonal therapy. Volunteers / students are expected to work towards receiving the minimum of40 hours of personal therapy. If this has not been attained, Volunteers / Students are expected to remain in personal counselling while they are practising at CL. Ideally all counsellors should be in personal therapy.

5. Cancellation, Holidays & Notice of ending this Agreement

5.1 Volunteer Counsellors / Students must give clients at least 24 hours notice if they need to cancel or re-timetable a session, and give all parties 4 weeks’ notice of any holiday or break they intend to take.Furthermore, confirm via email to the CL Adult Services Manager and

5.2 Volunteer Counsellors / Students must give their Counselling Supervisor at least 24 hours’ notice by phone or email which is acknowledged by CL if they wish to cancel or re-timetable a supervision session, otherwise a cancellation fee will be payable.

5.3 Ifa Volunteer Counsellor / Student plans an extended break from counselling, they should negotiate this with the CL Adult Services Manager.

5.4 At least 4 weeks’ noticeshould be given to clients and CL of a Volunteer Counsellor / Student ending their work with CL.

6. Practical Issues

6.1If a client requests information, advice or access to other CLservices, the Counsellor / Student should advise & support them to ask at reception for the person on duty. If in doubt, the Counsellor / Student can consult the Adult Services Manager, a member of CL staff on duty or at reception.

6.2 Counselling roomsare booked by the Adult Services Manager.Room bookings are made 6 months in advance, as rooms are in great demand. Clients for counselling are given an initial assessment by a qualified and experienced assessorand allocated to a Volunteer Counsellor / Student by the Adult Services Manager. Appointments are updated on the Counselling shared driveat Carers Lewisham, and at Reception, indicating the client’s name, and the time of the scheduled appointment.

6.3Counselling notes must be written up at the end of each session and filed in the counselling cabinet. Volunteer Counsellors / Students are responsible for ensuring that the cabinet is locked after use and the key returned to the drawer in reception.

7.Travel Expenses

7.1Volunteer Counsellors (qualified) can claim reimbursement of travel expenses at standard rates for the costs incurred in travelling to and from the CL Centre to attend counselling, supervision and training events that are required and agreed as part of your role. See the Volunteer Expenses Policy for more details.

8.Confidentiality

8.1In accordance with CL’s Confidentiality Policy, it is the responsibility of the Chief Executive and the Chair of Trustees of CL to formally sanction the breaking of confidentiality to a third party, where a client is believed to be at risk of causing serious harm to others or themselves, or has been harmed by another person.

8.2When it is believed that Confidentiality should be broken, the Volunteer Counsellor / Student must first seek an agreement from their client that this should take place. Once an agreement is reached, the Volunteer Counsellor / Student must immediately contact the AdultServices Manager.

8.3If the Volunteer Counsellor / Student believes that confidentiality should be broken, and noagreement is reached with their client for this to take place, the Counsellor / Student must inform their client that they will seek guidance from the Adult Services Manager or Chief Executive of CLbefore making any final decision.

8.4If the AdultServices Manager agrees that confidentiality should be broken, theAdult Services Manager will inform the Volunteer Counsellor’sSupervisor and the Chief Executive to discuss the need for breaking of confidentiality to a third party.

8.5The Volunteer Counsellor / Student shall not otherwise at any time disclose to any outside person whatsoever any information which may identify CL’s affairs, or any identifiable personal information regarding clients.

8.6Volunteer Counsellors / Students must not exchange personal details (such as telephone numbers or addresses) with Carers Lewisham clients without permission of the AdultServices Manager or Chief Executive.

9 Gifts

9.1 Some service users like to show their appreciation of the work of volunteers by offering a small gift; this is also a common practice in some cultures. However, we do not want people to feel obliged to offer something for the service they receive. If someone wishes to show their appreciation in the form of a gift, we ask that Volunteer Counsellors / Students refuse politely. If the gift has already been bought and the person is insistent, rather than risk offence the Volunteer Counsellor / Student should accept it and tell his/her supervisor. If money is offered, the Volunteer Counsellor / Student can only accept it once they have explained that it will be treated as a donation to Carers Lewisham. A receipt will be sent acknowledging the donation.

10. Insurance

10.1 Volunteers, student placements and employees are insured under Carers Lewisham’s Public and Employees Liability insurance. This covers a situation where an individual is injured during work and there is negligence on behalf of the employer. In case of injury that is purely accidental, there is only limited cover. In addition, volunteers who provide Advice and/or Counsellingare covered by the Carers Lewisham Professional Indemnity Insurance.

10.2 If a volunteer intends using their car for volunteering, he/she must write to their insurance company to let them know this (and receive a written reply), otherwise their policy can be invalidated. A sample letter is available from the CL Adult Services Manager or Executive Assistant.

11. Health and Safety

11.1 Carers Lewisham will not put Volunteers in a position that puts themselves or others at risk.

11.2 To maintain high health and safety standards for clients and volunteers, all Volunteers must refrain from using alcohol or mind or mood altering drugs while working for Carers Lewisham. Volunteers who are taking medication that may affect their performance should talk to their named supervisor before carrying out their role. Failure to observe this guideline could lead to disciplinary action and the ending of the placement.

11.3 No CL volunteer will undertake direct ‘personal care’ (such as moving and handling, bottom wiping, medication management etc.) for a cared for person or carer.

12. Information and Consultation

12.1 Volunteers will be informed of any changes and developments that occur within Carers Lewisham. This may be done by mailings, newsletters, meetings etc.

12.2 Volunteers may also be invited to attend meetings organised by the service they volunteer with, at which issues affecting the service may be discussed.

12.3 We encourage and welcome feedback from volunteers on their experience of working with Carers Lewisham.Comments or views can be passed to the Adult Services Manager or the Communications and Marketing Manager.

13. If Things Go Wrong

13.1 We hope that volunteering with Carers Lewisham is a positive and rewarding experience, but there may be an occasion when a volunteer feels unfairly treated by a member of staff, another volunteer or a client. If the issue cannot be resolved informally, then the volunteer may want to make a formal complaint. Full details about how to do this are contained in the Volunteer Grievance Procedure.

13.2 If a volunteer behaves in a way that contravenes existing guidelines or risks damaging the reputation of the organisation, Carers Lewisham must address this situation with the volunteer. If the matter cannot be resolved informally, then the organisation may have to take formal action. Full details of this are contained in the Volunteer Disciplinary Procedure.

14. Other Important Policies

14.1 It is important that volunteers are aware of all Carers Lewisham policies and how they affect the work they do. The Confidentiality Policy gives clear guidance on how personal information can be used whether relating to clients, staff, students or volunteers. All personal information about volunteers must be kept in a safe, secure place and will only be used for the purposes of the service and volunteer management. Volunteers are also expected to treat any information they receive whilst volunteering as confidential. Should a volunteer know a client outside of his/her work with Carers Lewisham, he/she should discuss the matter with his/her supervisor.

14.2 Carers Lewisham works within the guidelines of its Equal Opportunities Policy in all its work, including: Carers, Staff, Students and Volunteers. All staff, students and volunteers will be expected to uphold the Equal Opportunities Policy with regards to race, culture, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, HIV status & disability.

15. Leaving and References

15.1 Every volunteer has the right to withdraw from volunteering, but it is hoped that they give the service and their clients as much notice as possible before they do so. This will allow us time to find a replacement if necessary.

15.2 Present and former volunteers are entitled to a reference from Carers Lewisham after they have volunteered regularly for at least 6 months. We would expect them to have performed consistently and reliably on their placement to guarantee a positive reference for the duties they have undertaken.

15.3 The referee should be the Adult Services Manager. Carers Lewisham does not provide testimonials but will respond only to reference requests.

15.4References can be requested from the Adult Services Manager while the Volunteer Counsellor / Student is still volunteering for CL, or for six months after they have stopped volunteering for CL.

15.5 References will only be available for up to a maximum of 3 years after the volunteer has left Carers Lewisham. At the time of request, if there are no staff within Carers Lewisham who line managed the volunteer the content and detail will only be factual, i.e. length of time volunteering, training attended & project placed with.

16. Recognition

16.1 Carers Lewisham recognises the valuable contribution that volunteers make to the work and life of the organisation. We are sometimes able to show this more formally through social events or during National Volunteers Week and by awarding certificates, Lewisham Cards etc.

Other Important Carers Lewisham Policies and Procedures

Confidentiality Policy

Equal Opportunities Policy

Safeguarding Policy

Volunteering Policy

Volunteer Grievance Procedure

Volunteer Disciplinary Procedure

Volunteering Expenses Policy

K:\Counselling\Induction pack\Placement AgreementAug2017